So what was once an independent website giving independent and impartial advice to timeshare owners is firmly under the umbrella of Mark Rowe. He continually denies he has anything to do with the TCA, the latest evidence shows otherwise.

This is now in black and white on the Privacy Notice updated on 24 April 2019,

So what does this mean for timeshare owners who contact the TCA for advice on how to get out of their timeshare contracts?

Very simple, they will not be getting any independent or impartial advice, instead, they will be directed to one of the companies owned and controlled by Mark Rowe. This is not the first time the TCA’s impartiality has come into question, Andrew Penman of the Mirror brought this subject into the public domain way back in December 2016.

Inside Timeshare has received many emails from timeshare owners who have paid for relinquishments and so-called claims through ABC Lawyers, one reader paid around £7,500 for relinquishment and a claim. They were simply told to stop paying the maintenance fees, which they did, they have since found out that Club La Costa terminated their membership on the grounds of non-payment of fees. In other words, ABC Lawyers did nothing, they have also never received a penny of the £30,000 they were promised for their claim, despite signing the contract with ABC in October 2017.

Inside Timeshare has continually stated that the only sure way of making a claim for timeshare purchased in Spain is through the Spanish Courts, using a genuine lawyer registered to practice in Spain, with the knowledge and experience of timeshare law.

You are also unable to make any claim through the courts once you have had your contract terminated, plus you are very unlikely to receive any money back by using the Credit Consumer Act 1974 Section 75. This is a simple fact, the credit card company (if you paid the deposit by card) will always contact the timeshare company, they will obviously inform the card provider that the timeshare was used, so they have provided the goods and services paid for. Section 75 does not cover the fact that your timeshare contract may be illegal under Spanish law.

Once again, it is important that you know who you are dealing with, the TCA may have been independent and impartial at one point, but that was many years ago, we are sure the late Sandy Grey will be turning in his grave, all his hard work has now been turned upside down.

If you have any questions or need real advice on any timeshare matter, use our contact page and we will get back to you. Remember to do your homework before engaging with any company that contacts you or that you find on the internet.

On Thursday 21 March at Birmingham Crown Court, Judge Laurence Creed passed the following sentences.

Dominic O’Reilly, jailed for 2 years 4 months, disqualified from directorships for 9 years.

Stephanie O’Reilly, 9 months suspended for 2 years, 18 months suspended for 2 years plus, disqualified for 6 years.

Dominic & Stephanie O’Reilly (Birmingham Mail)

Inside Timeshare has received a transcript by a court reporter, which although it is not verified, it does match reports published in the press.

In the Prosecution opening statement, it was asked that the judge consider monetary harm, this was extremely high according to the prosecution, with 36 complaints, 90 in process and 45 further complaints pending.

The prosecution also explained the emotional impact, consumers were told they had no cancellation rights along with aggressive sales tactics. It was also mentioned that the defendants were told to stop these tactics including the institution of cancellation rights, but these did continue even after Trading Standards began investigations.

In mitigation, the defence for Mr O’Reilly asked for the sentence to be suspended as he did plead guilty at an early stage. He also told the court that Mr O’Reilly is now 54, in ill health and in need of a heart operation.

The fact that one elderly couple aged 68 and 69, one who had recently had a stroke, the other had diabetes including an attack during the meeting, were made to transfer money before being allowed to leave, does make the above mitigation plea a complete joke.

Miss O’Reilly’s defence used her being the mother of a 1-year-old baby which is breastfed and she is now 11 weeks pregnant. Also, she has no support structure in the UK, as her parents live in Tenerife, that her partner would have to give up his job to look after the baby if she was jailed.

In all, the 36 complaints totalled £425,000 of which only £3,813 was ever refunded, Trading Standards found another 100 complaints totalling £1.3 million. In all the company made by 2017 around £3.375 million.

The judge also highlighted several clients, that were sent threatening letters for payments when the client wanted to cancel. One client had to call their daughter to help pay, then chased with a letter before action.

The client cases in this trial are only the tip of the proverbial iceberg, there are hundreds more, unfortunately, many of these are now subject to scams due to this trail. Cold calls from companies stating they are working with or have been appointed by the courts to help them get money back which the courts are holding. As we have said before this is not true.

The O’Reilly’s are now being investigated under the Proceeds of Crime Act, The authorities have to power to seize accounts and assets such as houses and cars if it is deemed they are from the proceeds of crime. The problem now is can they link it, where is the money, are any properties in their names, or are they in his wifes or her partner’s names. If so can it be proven the money used was from the O’Reilly’s in the first place?

We can only wait and see.

If you have been a client and receive any calls regarding money being held for you, then contact Inside Timeshare. We will then explain where you stand and if you are able to get anything back.

This investigation is very similar in nature to the one into Eze Group, it is still underway and no new or further information is yet available. But no doubt we may see a case in the courts in the near future.

In the case of the Farhouds and their company Nordic Consulting Canary Islands SL, they now entice their old Silverpoint clients with legal action against their one-time employer Silverpoint. See the links below for further information.

We have from very reliable sources been informed that criminal denuncias have been made to the Spanish authorities against all three. Many of these by their very own clients.

Although we know that these investigations take time, especially when new complaints are likely, one thing is certain, the authorities always get them in the end.

As and when new information comes in, it will be published on these pages.

If you require any further information or have had dealings with any of the companies mentioned, then use our contact page and let us know. Inside Timeshare will get back to you and point you in the right direction.

As usual, a word of warning, before you deal with any company that contacts you or you have found on the internet or from an advert, do your homework. If you are not sure then contact Inside Timeshare.

Welcome to the last Friday’s letter from America for August, this week Irene Parker reviews the similarities between victims of the Catholic Church and Timeshare victims, it looks at how speaking up can make a difference. But first a couple of items from Europe.

Another company offering discounted travel has come to our attention, Advantage Group British Travel SL, according to Spanish company records the registered address is:

It appears that they use OPC’s on the street with the ubiquitous scratch cards to lure holiday makers into a presentation. This will involve several hours of high pressure sales to get you to part with a significant amount of money for a membership to another dubious “discount holiday club”.

The director of British Travel was Paul Hughes, which was also a “discount holiday club”, but was pitched as a travel agency, where you could get discount from 25% to 80%. Obviously Victoria Hughes is more than likely his wife and is now the front for this company, we also know that Caroline is linked to paul as they are facebook friends.

So beware the ticket touts and the offers of great discounts!

We have also been informed by one of our regular readers who had dealings with the fake law firm in tenerife, Legalidad Abogados, part of the Litigious Abogados family, of another email being received about his court case against Diamond.

This has caused us a great deal of hilarity, the case was supposedly heard on 24 July 2018 and the director of Diamond Resorts International pleaded guilty, just like all the timeshare directors in these cases from this fake outfit. You will never believe who they named as the director, MARK ROWE!

So if you are reading this Mark, congratulations on your employment at Diamond and what a shame you ended up in court!

Now for today’s article.

Timeshare Predators compared to Catholic Predators

By Irene Parker

August 31, 2018

There are many good Catholic priests, sisters and nuns, especially Benedictine Sister Joan Chittister of Erie, Pennsylvania, speaking out on what has been the pervasive Catholic culture of institutional cover-up.

Sister explains,

Pedophilia, the abuse of children, has finally unmasked for all to see the operational principles of an organization that has been able for years to ignore, reject– even disdain–the cries of multiple other groups of the ignored and abused.

It is clear now, in ways it was never clear before, how much damage is done to the church itself, ironically, by the kind of silence that makes it impossible for the church to admit its weaknesses, to deal with its questions. .http://www.joanchittister.org/

Something clicks inside a victim when they have had enough. Some timeshare companies employ the same tactics as the church. As timeshare members alleging fraud read through this, they will have no trouble seeing similarities. I advocate on behalf of timeshare members alleging fraud, alongside 44 Timeshare Advocacy Group™ advocates.

The Catholic scandal ultimately led me to timeshare advocacy. Turning anger over child abuse outward led me to CASA, Court Appointed Special Advocates for children in foster care, where I learned how to write court reports for Family Court. When timeshare members contact me, their complaints are often confusing and lengthy. I listen to their allegations, transcribe, and return to them their complaint in court report format. Other advocates answer questions that come up when members need to file regulatory complaints

A life’s journey can take many twists and turns. My life changed dramatically after a trip to Peshawbestown, Michigan to meet with tribal spiritual director and peacemaker Paul Raphael of the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians. Peacemaker Paul was one of nine male children who attended the Holy Childhood School of Jesus in Michigan where Indian boys were sexually abused by three School Sisters of Notre Dame nuns in the 1960s and ‘70s. I contacted him after reading a four part article about the abuse. By part four I was livid.

Grand Rapids Michigan investigative reporters met with Sister Laura Jean Spaeth of the School Sisters of Notre Dame in Milwaukee. Sister Spaeth was skeptical about the credibility so the reporters interviewed a total of 80 former students to verify the abuse.

“My answer was if it was just one person, that would be a legitimate argument — but we interviewed 80 people and we heard a consistently recurring story,” Golder said. “And it was troubling to me that the leaders of the order, sought to dismiss what we were saying based on the other problems in their lives,…but it was clear to me, as people told the same stories over and over, that it established a pattern that was factual.”

In 2008 I was practicing for a pipe organ exam at the cathedral for an American Guild of Organists exam. Patrick Cooney was Bishop then. Stunned after speaking with Peacemaker Paul, I wrote Bishop Cooney a letter asking if I could arrange a meeting. Peacemaker Paul resisted saying, “How will that help us?” I said it wouldn’t but it would help the Bishop because he cares and hearing directly from Peacemaker Paul could possibly help Bishop Cooney stop a potential abuser.

“There have been up to 400 reports nationally of sex abuse by nuns,” said David Clohessy, former national director and spokesman for SNAP, Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests. “The laws are written in Michigan to protect perpetrators and those who are doing the cover-ups. There have been efforts in the Michigan legislature over the past five years to get those laws changed, to be more victim-friendly, but in each case the bishops and the bishop’s conference spent a lot of resources to get those laws defeated,” Clohessy said. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Clohessy

After experiencing a timeshare bait and switch, I wrote to ARDA, The American Resort Development Association, explaining my concerns. I thought they would be grateful someone brought criminal actions to their attention. I did not hear from ARDA except for an auto-reply. Approximately 200 allegations of fraud have been sent to ARDA over two years – and no response. ARDA does not mediate disputes, but they have a code of ethics that is being violated, based on member reports.

According to Dr. Amy Grant, University of Central Florida, who presented at an ARDA World conference in 2017.

“A whopping 85 percent of all buyers regret their (timeshare) purchase (for money, fear, confusion, intimidation, distrust and other reasons). Forty-one percent of buyers never thought they would regret their purchase, but they did; another 30 percent were neutral prior to buying, but then regretted it.”

Victims need to file regulatory complaints, lobby lawmakers and reach out to the media. I attended a Catholic conference where victims and clergy met to address the problems. It is only through the courage and fortitude of the Sister Chittisters of the world, change happens. It is unclear if the Pope or ARDA have really accepted the reality of Social Media because victims no longer need be silenced and isolated.

This article does go to show that only by speaking up and working together can any real change happen, these cases of abuse, although very different in nature, in the church and timeshare have one thing in common, both want you to remain quiet and say nothing.

That’s all for the month of August, the courts in Spain are about to start hearing cases again so there will no doubt be some interesting news on the legal front. Also during September Inside Timeshare will not be publishing regular articles as I am on leave and spending some quiet time with a large family reunion.

Have a great weekend and remember, any company that contacts you regarding your timeshare, do your homework before you do any business with them.

Over the past few weeks Inside Timeshare has been getting enquiries about another firm timeshare owners have paid to cancel their contracts and pursue “no win no fee” claims against their timeshare resorts, RSB Legal Ltd.

Although they have been a registered company since 27 August 2015, there is an active proposal to strike the company off the register and have it dissolved, this was on 13 March 2018. Since then, the Compulsory Action to strike off has been suspended, as of 21 March 2018.

Many of the enquiries we have been receiving are all very similar, no contact from the company and the clients have not been able to get them on the telephone. Another firm which these clients have had their “cases” passed to are Taylor Marshall Associates, with one reader being told by them that their contract with Club la Costa has been terminated.

Company number 09458294

1st Floor 2 Woodberry Grove, Finchley, London, England, N12 0DR

It turns out that this is not the case as CLC have told them they are still liable for the maintenance fees. CLC have also stated the following in an email to our reader:

“Over the last 2 years, CLC has consistently advised Taylor Marshall and their associated company RSB Legal that we will NOT accept their correspondence as correct notification to “TERMINATE” any CLC World membership. CLC World has an established free of charge exit strategy in place for all CLC Members and we do NOT accept Surrender or Relinquishment notices from third party claims companies. Despite this, Taylor Marshall (RSB Legal) continue to falsely claim that they are successful in somehow ‘forcing’ CLC World to release members from their contracts. This is simply untrue.”

“CLC will only complete a Surrender Request when processed direct with the CLC Member.”

So it looks like RSB Legal and Taylor Marshall have been taking peoples money knowing full well that CLC will not recognise them or their termination notices.

Inside Timeshare has been receiving many comments not just of support, but enquiries as to what they can do to get their money back, we have looked into this and are currently exploring what options are open to you.

One option that has been mentioned is to collect as many disgruntled clients together and explore a group / class action through the courts.

If you have been a victim of any of the following companies, Inside Timeshare would like to hear from you, contact us via our contact form, we will then reply privately. Inside Timeshare will only be acting as a coordinator, researcher and contact point, if a group or class action is feasible you will then be informed which law firm is recommended and the decision will be ultimately yours.

In the letter they have been sending to clients they state that evidence has been provided by one company,Financial Institutions and Hotels, they are also following up on reports that have been made to the Action Fraud website.

We know this is going to be a long drawn out investigation as it will be covering many clients and many years, so we do not expect a conclusion soon.

When we do get some answers they will be published on these pages.

If you have had any dealings with the companies under investigation and would like to know where you stand, then contact the Regional Organised Crime Unit at the following:

Inside Timeshare would also like to hear from you if you have had any dealings with any company which you have paid and have not delivered on their promises or even just disappeared. Use the contact page on the website and we will get back to you.

In this ruling, which followed all the judgements of previous Supreme Court decisions, the contracts were declared null & void, due to the contract being over 50 years and the taking of deposits within the 14 day cooling off period.

The clients in this case have been awarded 448,000 Norwegian Crowns or 49,334€, this also includes legal interest and the return of all legal fees.

Then to start the month of December, it was announced that a British family have just received an early Christmas present, 49,888€. This money is now in their bank account, and was awarded against Anfi several weeks ago, they have still yet to be paid the legal interest and the return of legal fees.

This once again shows that the Supreme Court is having a profound effect on these cases, with payouts coming a lot faster. So it is congratulations to all at CLA and especially their clients.

Yesterday 1 December, Andrew Penman of the Daily Mirror published an article on The Timeshare Consumer Association. Inside Timeshare has been following this story for some time and has published articles on this subject.

His article titled “The Timeshares Consumer Association claims to be an independent consumer champion, but is it”? Tried to find an answer to this question, unfortunately he did not.

Mark Rowe denied owning or running the TCA, yet all company records show that he is the director and was appointed in place of William Aspinall on 8 July 2016. It must also be noted that since that date all posts on the TCA website and its sister site timesharetalk, about Monster Traveland Sellmytimeshare.tv have been removed. Readers of this site have also commented that they have placed posts about them and they have been removed within hours.

It was also reported by one of our readers back in September that they had contacted TCA for advice, this is her message to Inside Timeshare:

“We bought our floating week timeshare before 1999. We decided to contact the TCA to see if they could explain how the new Spanish laws affect or don’t affect our week. Had read somewhere about a Deed of Adaptation and were just curious to see if they could shed any light. A very nice young lady answered. Said she would find out and call us back at 11a.m. the next day, which she did. She explained what we could do told us that the TCA recommend Sell my Timeshare. We explained why we would not be happy to do that and she replied that the TCA found them to be a very reputable company. As Kevin said in an earlier post, It is a sad state of affairs.

And just because I could, I wrote about this on Timeshare Talk in response to another post relating to SellmyTimeshare.tv. (Only last night 22nd Sept)

Yep, you guessed it. The fairies have been busy in the night again and both posts gone this morning. You have to laugh!”

So the question is what is the truth?

It seems that even the intrepid Andrew Penman is having difficulty in answering this one, see the link below for the above comment and others.

Catching up with some of the news from last week, Canarian Legal Alliance look to be on a role, another four Supreme Court ruling have been announced. 2 November, they announce 3 rulings in one day, then on 11 November they announced another.

Again these ruling reaffirmed previous judgements from Spain’s Highest Court, contract over 50 years, Floating weeks and the taking of deposits during the cooling off period all ruled illegal, with the contracts being declared null and void. Just on these four alone a total of 95,570€ has been recovered.

CLA also announced the payout of 41,190€ by Anfi to their Finnish clients, the contract was also declared null and void. As the spokesperson for CLA confirmed, the courts are taking notice of the Supreme Court, sentences are coming through faster and the payments are also getting quicker.

It certainly appears from the the way these judgements are coming in, the process is getting faster. With all the new cases this law firm has in various stages of the legal process, there will be many more being announced. At present, they seem to be announcing at least 3 rulings each week, sometimes more.

We know that this company is part of the Monster family, with Mark Rowe being the sole director, we also know there is a move by the law firm Athena Law to bring a case against them for liable. Could this be a method to avoid it?

On 5 January 2016 the company name was changed to:Monster Rewards Limited using the same company number and registered at the same address. There is also a Monster Rewards SL in Tenerife. the Ltd company is the UK arm.

This was originally set up by Sandy Grey, (1999), when he died it was taken over by a group of people wanting to continue his work. May 2014 Stephen Boyd (lawyer) instituted the new Company The Timeshare Consumer Association Ltd, he resigned in December 2014, Now a partner in Athena Law. The Website was taken over by Tolmex Ltd 08143115 and was directed by William Aspinall.

On 11 April 2016 the company changed name to Bridgewell Investments Ltd using the same company number and address:
Fernhills Business Center, Foerster Cham, Todd Street. Manchester BL9 5BJ

William Aspinal resigned as director on 8 July 2016

He was replaced on that date by Mark Rowe.

This now means that the TCA a previously independent information resource website is now under the effective control of Monster Group Travel and Mark Rowe.

According to some new information taken from Timeshare Business Check (an arm of KwikchexRDO funded), When they published their findings on the TCA (23 June 2014), they listed as “Other associated businesses and trading names” the following:

On 9th March 2016 the TCA posted a piece by Harriet Cooke of The Sun newspaper, her article from February 2016 was about Sell My Timeshare, a resale website. In the article it stated that 2,250 timeshares had been sold or cancelled by them in 2015.

This to me seems very odd, as many people I have spoken to in the past have informed me that they had contacted this company when trying to rid themselves of their timeshares. What then has happened is a meeting has been set up with Glenmore Consultants at one of their offices; Bournemouth, York or Stratford upon Avon.

At this meeting the client is then pitched to purchase Monster Credits in order to be rid of their timeshare. These credits can then be used for future holidays, with no time limit, some have even been told they are able to sell the unused credits for a small profit.

So in order to be rid of the timeshare the client pays Monster Travel a hefty sum of money in return for credits. This is not a timeshare resale. It reminds me of the ILGDWVC and Club Class meetings.